Hmmmm, so unconditional love is love without reward, right? Ok, so this often happens in the parent child relationship....but can you separate unconditional love from a relationship you would have with a significant other or friend of some sort?

I kind of feel like its hard to separate the unconditional love from a relationship with non-family members since its assumed you became friends/got serious with that individual for specific reasons...You came to a certain conclusion about the other person & it's assumed who they are gives you incentive to have a sort of relationship with them...Which kinda feels like a condition. I dunno it just seems like a different kind of love would emerge in that case than that for someone in your family. I think with the family thing, it's ingrained for you to love them for what they are: Your family. While with friends or significant others, you are more likely to love them for who they are. Maybe? So does that mean one is deeper than the other? -shrug- Do you end up loving an idea [family], or is that just a truer form of unconditional love? Or are the friendship ones deeper cause they are ased in who the person is on the inside? I suppose they are oth deep for different reasons...? Ahhh just throwing out ideas!

So what happens if you are being punished in the relationship, like if you have an abusive partner? I guess there's a sort of a basic condition of no abuse allowed. Although I'm sure you can still love someone unconditionally but you have to somehow get away from them in order for them to change.

.....So then, is unconditional love really defined as not receiving rewards for your love & maybe in some circumstances receiving punishment for loving, too?

Damn, whoever said love was a good thing....

Can I just say, to the posters who still love their family despite abuse: I really admire ya'll?